Which statement accurately describes transmission and habitat of Brachyspira spp?

Which statement accurately describes transmission and habitat of Brachyspira spp?

• A. Fecal-oral transmission; inhabits the large intestine of pigs, chickens, dogs, wild birds, and rodents
• B. Airborne transmission; inhabits the small intestine
• C. Vector-borne transmission; inhabits the liver
• D. Direct skin contact; inhabits the stomach

Answer: (A)

Brachyspira species are anaerobic spirochetes that preferentially colonize the large intestine of a variety of animals. The transmission route is fecal-oral, with shed bacteria in feces contaminating feed, water, or the environment and then being ingested by a susceptible host. This pattern fits well with their role in intestinal diseases like swine dysentery in pigs and intestinal spirochetosis in other species, where the organisms inhabit the colon and cause mucosal changes and diarrhea. So the most accurate statement is that transmission is fecal-oral and the organisms inhabit the large intestine across multiple hosts, including pigs, chickens, dogs, wild birds, and rodents. The other options describe transmission routes (airborne, vector-borne, direct skin contact) and sites (small intestine, liver, stomach) that do not align with how Brachyspira behave in nature.

Brachyspira species are anaerobic spirochetes that preferentially colonize the large intestine of a variety of animals. The transmission route is fecal-oral, with shed bacteria in feces contaminating feed, water, or the environment and then being ingested by a susceptible host. This pattern fits well with their role in intestinal diseases like swine dysentery in pigs and intestinal spirochetosis in other species, where the organisms inhabit the colon and cause mucosal changes and diarrhea.

So the most accurate statement is that transmission is fecal-oral and the organisms inhabit the large intestine across multiple hosts, including pigs, chickens, dogs, wild birds, and rodents. The other options describe transmission routes (airborne, vector-borne, direct skin contact) and sites (small intestine, liver, stomach) that do not align with how Brachyspira behave in nature.